’No，Icannotletyouin，’shemurmured，afterapause。
’Dashmywig，then，’hecried，hisfaceflamingup，’I’llfindawaytogetin！Now，don’tyouprovokeme！Youdon’tknowwhatIamcapableof。Iaskyouagain，willyouopenthedoor？’
’Whydoyouwishit？’shesaidfaintly。
’IhavetoldyouIwanttositdown；andIwanttoaskyouaquestion。’
’Youcanaskmefromwhereyouare。’
’Icannotaskyouproperly。Itisaboutaseriousmatter:whetheryouwillacceptmyheartandhand。Iamnotgoingtothrowmyselfatyourfeet；butIaskyoutodoyourdutyasawoman，namely，giveyoursolemnwordtotakemynameassoonasthewarisoverandI
havetimetoattendtoyou。Iscorntoaskitofahaughtyhussywhowillonlyspeaktomethroughawindow；however，Iputittoyouforthelasttime，madam。’
Therewasnosignonthedownofanybody’sreturn，andshesaid，’I’llthinkofit，sir。’
’Youhavethoughtofitlongenough；Iwanttoknow。Willyouorwon’tyou？’
’Verywell；IthinkIwill。’Andthenshefeltthatshemightbebuyingpersonalsafetytoodearlybyshufflingthus，sincehewouldspreadthereportthatshehadacceptedhim，andcauseendlesscomplication。’No，’shesaid，’Ihavechangedmymind。Icannotacceptyou，Mr。Derriman。’
’That’showyouplaywithme！’heexclaimed，stamping。’“Yes，“onemoment；“No，“thenext。Come，youdon’tknowwhatyourefuse。Thatoldhallismyuncle’sown，andhehasnobodyelsetoleaveitto。
Assoonashe’sdeadIshallthrowupfarmingandstartasasquire。
Andnow，’headdedwithabittersneer，’whatafoolyouaretohangbackfromsuchachance！’
’Thankyou，Idon’tvalueit，’saidAnne。
’Becauseyouhatehimwhowouldmakeityours？’
’Itmaynotlieinyourpowertodothat。’
’What——hastheoldfellowbeentellingyouhisaffairs？’
’No。’
’Thenwhydoyoumistrustme？Now，afterthiswillyouopenthedoor，andshowthatyoutreatmeasafriendifyouwon’tacceptmeasalover？Ionlywanttositandtalktoyou。’
Annethoughtshewouldtrusthim；itseemedalmostimpossiblethathecouldharmher。Sheretiredfromthewindowandwentdownstairs。
Whenherhandwasupontheboltofthedoor，hermindmisgaveher。
Insteadofwithdrawingitsheremainedinsilencewhereshewas，andhebeganagain——
’Areyougoingtounfastenit？’
Annedidnotspeak。
’Now，dashmywig，Iwillgetatyou！You’vetriedmebeyondendurance。Onekisswouldhavebeenenoughthatdayinthemead；
nowI’llhaveforty，whetheryouwillorno！’
Heflunghimselfagainstthedoor；butasitwasbolted，andhadinadditionagreatwoodenbaracrossit，thisproducednoeffect。Hewassilentforamoment，andthentheterrifiedgirlheardhimattempttheshutteredwindow。Sheranupstairsandagainscannedthedown。Theyellowgigstilllayintheblazingsunshine，andthehorseofFestusstoodbythecornerofthegarden——nothingelsewastobeseen。Atthismomenttherecametoherearthenoiseofasworddrawnfromitsscabbard；and，peepingoverthewindow-sill，shesawhertormentordrivehisswordbetweenthejointsoftheshutters，inanattempttoripthemopen。Theswordsnappedoffinhishand。Withanimprecationhepulledoutthepiece，andreturnedthetwohalvestothescabbard。
’Ha！ha！’hecried，catchingsightofthetopofherhead。’’Tisonlyajoke，youknow；butI’llgetinallthesame。Allforakiss！Butnevermind，we’lldoityet！’Hespokeinanaffectedlylighttone，asifashamedofhispreviousresentfultemper；butshecouldseebythelividbackofhisneckthathewasbrimfulofsuppressedpassion。’Onlyajest，youknow，’hewenton。’Howarewegoingtodoitnow？Why，inthisway。Igoandgetaladder，andenterattheupperwindowwheremyloveis。Andthere’stheladderlyingunderthatcorn-rickinthefirstenclosedfield。Backintwominutes，dear！’
Heranoff，andwaslosttoherview。
Annefearfullysurveyedherposition。Theupperwindowsofthecottagewereofflimsiestlead-work，andtokeephimoutwouldbehopeless。Shefeltthatnotamomentwastobelostingettingaway。Runningdownstairssheopenedthedoor，andthenitoccurredtoherterrifiedunderstandingthattherewouldbenochanceofescapinghimbyflightafootacrosssuchanextensivedown，sincehemightmounthishorseandeasilyrideafterher。Theanimalstillremainedtetheredatthecornerofthegarden；ifshecouldreleasehimandfrightenhimawaybeforeFestusreturned，therewouldnotbequitesuchoddsagainsther。Sheaccordinglyunhookedthehorsebyreachingoverthebank，andthen，pullingoffhermuslinneckerchief，flappeditinhiseyestostartlehim。Butthegallantsteeddidnotmoveorflinch；shetriedagain，andheseemedratherpleasedthanotherwise。Atthismomentsheheardacryfromthecottage，andturning，beheldheradversaryapproachingroundthecornerofthebuilding。
’IthoughtIshouldtoleoutthemousebythattrick！’criedFestusexultingly。Insteadofgoingforaladder，hehadsimplyhiddenhimselfatthebacktotemptherdown。
PoorAnnewasnowdesperate。Thebankonwhichshestoodwaslevelwiththehorse’sback，andthecreatureseemedquietasalamb。
Withadeterminationofwhichshewascapableinemergencies，sheseizedtherein，flungherselfuponthesheepskin，andheldonbythemane。Theamazedchargerliftedhishead，sniffed，wrenchedhisearshitherandthither，andstartedoffatafrightfulspeedacrossthedown。
’O，myheartandlimbs！’saidFestusunderhisbreath，as，thoroughlyalarmed，hegazedafterher。’SheonChampion！She’llbreakherneck，andIshallbetriedformanslaughter，anddisgracewillbebroughtuponthenameofDerriman！’
Championcontinuedtogoatastretch-gallop，buthedidnothingworse。Hadheplungedorreared，Derriman’sfearsmighthavebeenverified，andAnnehavecomewithdeadlyforcetotheground。Butthecoursewasgood，andinthehorse’sspeedlayacomparativesecurity。Shewasscarcelyshakeninherprecarioushalf-horizontalposition，thoughshewasawedtoseethegrass，loosestones，andotherobjectspasshereyeslikestrokeswheneversheopenedthem，whichwasonlyjustforasecondatintervalsofhalfaminute；andtofeelhowwildlythestirrupsswung，andthatwhatstruckherkneewasthebucketofthecarbine，andthatitwasapistol-holsterwhichhurtherarm。
Theyquicklyclearedthedown，andAnnebecameconsciousthatthecourseofthehorsewashomeward。Assoonasthegroundbegantorisetowardstheouterbeltofuplandwhichlaybetweenherandthecoast，Champion，nowpantingandreekingwithmoisture，lessenedhisspeedinsheerweariness，andproceededatarapidjoltingtrot。
Annefeltthatshecouldnotholdonhalfsowell；thegallophadbeenchild’splaycomparedwiththis。Theywereinalane，ascendingtoaridge，andshemadeuphermindforafall。Overtheridgeroseananimatedspot，higherandhigher；itturnedouttobetheupperpartofaman，andthemantobeasoldier。SuchwasAnne’sattitudethatsheonlygotanoccasionalglimpseofhim；and，thoughshefearedthathemightbeaFrenchman，shefearedthehorsemorethantheenemy，asshehadfearedFestusmorethanthehorse。
Annehadenergyenoughlefttocry，’Stophim；stophim！’asthesoldierdrewnear。
He，astonishedatthesightofamilitaryhorsewithabundleofdraperyacrosshisback，hadalreadyplacedhimselfinthemiddleofthelane，andhenowheldouthisarmstillhisfigureassumedtheformofaLatincrossplantedintheroadway。Championdrewnear，swerved，andstoodstillalmostsuddenly，achecksufficienttosendAnneslippingdownhisflanktotheground。Thetimelyfriendsteppedforwardandhelpedhertoherfeet，whenshesawthathewasJohnLoveday。
’Areyouhurt？’hesaidhastily，havingturnedquitepaleatseeingherfall。
’Ono；notabit，’saidAnne，gatheringherselfupwithforcedbriskness，tomakelightofthemisadventure。
’Buthowdidyougetinsuchaplace？’
’There，he’sgone！’sheexclaimed，insteadofreplying，asChampionsweptroundJohnLovedayandcanteredofftriumphantlyinthedirectionofOxwell，aperformancewhichshefollowedwithhereyes。
’Buthowdidyoucomeuponhisback，andwhosehorseisit？’
’Iwilltellyou。’
’Well？’
’I——cannottellyou。’
Johnlookedsteadilyather，sayingnothing。
’Howdidyoucomehere？’sheasked。’IsittruethattheFrenchhavenotlandedatall？’
’Quitetrue；thealarmwasgroundless。I’lltellyouallaboutit。
Youlookverytired。Youhadbettersitdownafewminutes。Letussitonthisbank。’
Hehelpedhertotheslopeindicated，andcontinued，stillasifhisthoughtsweremoreoccupiedwiththemysteryofherrecentsituationthanwithwhathewassaying:’WearrivedatBudmouthBarracksthismorning，andaretoliethereallthesummer。Icouldnotwritetotellfatherwewerecoming。ItwasnotbecauseofanyrumouroftheFrench，forweknewnothingofthattillwemetthepeopleontheroad，andthecolonelsaidinamomentthenewswasfalse。
BuonaparteisnotevenatBoulognejustnow。Iwasanxioustoknowhowyouhadbornethefright，soIhastenedtoOvercombeatonce，assoonasIcouldgetoutofbarracks。’
Anne，whohadnotbeenatallresponsivetohisdiscourse，nowswayedheavilyagainsthim，andlookingquicklydownhefoundthatshehadsilentlyfainted。Tosupportherinhisarmswasofcoursetheimpulseofamoment。Therewasnowatertobehad，andhecouldthinkofnothingelsebuttoholdhertenderlytillshecameroundagain。Certainlyhedesirednothingmore。
Againheaskedhimself，whatdiditallmean？
Hewaited，lookingdownuponhertiredeyelids，andattherowoflasheslyinguponeachcheek，whosenaturalroundnessshoweditselfinsingularperfectionnowthatthecustomarypinkhadgivenplacetoapaleluminousnesscaughtfromthesurroundingatmosphere。Thedumpyringletsaboutherforeheadandbehindherpoll，whichwereusuallyastightassprings，hadbeenpartiallyuncoiledbythewildnessofherride，andhunginsplitlocksoverherforeheadandneck。John，who，duringthelongmonthsofhisabsence，hadlivedonlytomeetheragain，wasinastateofecstaticreverence，andbendingdownhegentlykissedher。
Annewasjustbecomingconscious。
’O，Mr。Derriman，never，never！’shemurmured，sweepingherfacewithherhand。
’Ithoughthewasatthebottomofit，’saidJohn。
Anneopenedhereyes，andstartedbackfromhim。’Whatisit？’shesaidwildly。
’Youareill，mydearMissGarland，’repliedJohnintremblinganxiety，andtakingherhand。
’Iamnotill，Iamweariedout！’shesaid。’Can’twewalkon？HowfararewefromOvercombe？’
’Aboutamile。Buttellme，somebodyhasbeenhurtingyou——
frighteningyou。Iknowwhoitwas；itwasDerriman，andthatwashishorse。Nowdoyoutellmeall。’
Annereflected。’ThenifItellyou，’shesaid，’willyoudiscusswithmewhatIhadbetterdo，andnotforthepresentletmymotherandyourfatherknow？Idon’twanttoalarmthem，andImustnotletmyaffairsinterruptthebusinessconnexionbetweenthemillandthehallthathasgoneonforsomanyyears。’
Thetrumpet-majorpromised，andAnnetoldtheadventure。Hisbrowreddenedasshewenton，andwhenshehaddoneshesaid，’Nowyouareangry。Don’tdoanythingdreadful，willyou？RememberthatthisFestuswillmostlikelysucceedhisuncleatOxwell，inspiteofpresentappearances，andifBobsucceedsatthemillthereshouldbenoenmitybetweenthem。’
’That’strue。Iwon’ttellBob。Leavehimtome。WhereisDerrimannow？Onhiswayhome，Isuppose。WhenIhaveseenyouintothehouseIwilldealwithhim——quitequietly，sothatheshallsaynothingaboutit。’
’Yes，appealtohim，do！Perhapshewillbebetterthen。’
Theywalkedontogether，Lovedayseemingtoexperiencemuchquietbliss。
’Icametolookforyou，’hesaid，’becauseofthatdear，sweetletteryouwrote。’
’Yes，Ididwriteyoualetter，’sheadmitted，withmisgiving，nowbeginningtoseehermistake。’ItwasbecauseIwassorryIhadblamedyou。’
’Iamalmostgladyoudidblameme，’saidJohncheerfully，’since，ifyouhadnot，theletterwouldnothavecome。Ihavereaditfiftytimesaday。’
ThisputAnneintoanunhappymood，andtheyproceededwithoutmuchfurthertalktillthemillchimneyswerevisiblebelowthem。Johnthensaidthathewouldleavehertogoinbyherself。
’Ah，youaregoingbacktogetintosomedangeronmyaccount？’
’Ican’tgetintomuchdangerwithsuchafellowashe，canI？’saidJohn，smiling。
